According to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the year 2020, depression will be the number two cause of "lost years of healthy life" worldwide. However, the cost in human suffering cannot be estimated.

Depression is something that will occur in many people's
lives, for various reasons. But the "normal" occurrence of
a plunge in mood due to stressful events in your life,
usually doesn't last very long, before a person's natural
resilience responds to the environment of friends and
family.

Treatment for depression and anxiety may be needed if you
experience persistent, multiple symptoms for more than two
weeks. These may include a combination of half or more of
the following:

* Sleeplessness, insomnia

* Ongoing negative moods for no reason

* Lack of energy or ambition

* Feeling helpless or worthless

* Believing nobody cares

* Hyper states like edginess or nervousness

* Inability to make decisions or concentrate on things

* Physical aches and pains that don't go away

* Suicidal thoughts

Depending on the condition of a depressed person, they may
require admission to a depression treatment center, where
they can be monitored while receiving psychological
counseling and medication therapy.

Depression is an emotional disorder, and nothing to be
ashamed of. But often, people who are depressed are
suffering from negative thoughts about themselves, and the
illness can feed on that.

If you recognize five or more of the above symptoms in
someone you love, talk to them about how they feel. If
they won't talk to you, go to their family, friends, or
even their doctor.

Treatment may be as simple as counseling and medication
that can be undertaken while in their own environment, or
the doctor may recommend a short stay in a depression
treatment facility to get them back on an even keel.

The medications available have redefined the treatment for
depression and anxiety, giving patients a break from the
emotional state that is weighing them down, while they
receive therapy to resolve the issues that caused their
illness.